Sasse Begins Series of Addresses on Executive Unilateralism

Washington, D.C. – Today, as promised in his Maiden Speech last month, U.S. Senator Ben Sasse began a series of addresses on the growth of the administrative state, executive unilateralism, and legislative apathy.

Video of the Senator’s remarks is available here or by clicking on the image above.
Excerpts of the Senator’s remarks, as prepared for delivery, are found below:

“Imagine President Trump has been propelled into the White House… He signs an executive order to turn the Peace Corps into stone masons and build a wall. He shutters the Department of Education and, by executive order, turns the Department of the Interior into the classiest oil company the world has ever known.”

“So what happens next?… After having raged against a supposedly lawless President [would Republicans] suddenly find that they are actually okay with a strongman President, so long as he’s wearing the same color jersey that they are? He may be a lawless sonuvagun but, some would say, he’s our lawless sonuvagun. Would the ends justify the means?”

“… the problem of a weak Congress and executive growth should be bad news to all of us but, more importantly, to every constituent who cast their votes for us under the impression that Congress makes decisions— not just suggestions.”

“I think the weakness of the Congress is not just undesirable, but is actually a dangerous thing for America… I don’t think this because I am a Republican and the current occupant of the White House is a Democrat. In fact, I think we need to have this debate now precisely because we don’t know who is going to control the White House next.”

“I think it, rather, because I have taken an oath of office to the Constitution; and I’ll still hold this same view when a Republican president next tries to reach beyond his or her constitutional powers.”

“In this series of addresses on the growth of the administrative state and on the unbalanced nature of executive branch and legislative branch relations, my goal is not primarily to advocate. My first goal is just to do some history together…”